Who God Is and What God Does

I will turn my eyes away and show no pity. I will repay you for all your detestable sins. Then you will know that it is I, the LORD, who is striking the blow. [Ezekiel 7.9]

Here is a passage of scripture we need to study and understand carefully. 

Who God is and what God does are revealed and defined here.

Punishment is the real subject of this passage. 

So what does this punishment look like?

• God turns His eyes away
• God shows no pity
• God repays for sins

The repayment for sins is furthermore defined as a blow being stricken.

Now, there is something we need not miss in what is said here. How does one "strike a blow" who has looked away? It is not possible. So, we must understand that "striking a blow" is another way of saying "looking away." "Looking away" then, is, in essence, striking a blow, but in practice is not. So, who is, in practice, actually striking the blow? It is someone designed for that very purpose - a destroyer - one who's very character is to steal, kill, and destroy - Satan.

God's gaze upon us is life. When God turns His eyes away from us, we are exposed to every destructive force known. If we do not understand this basic fact about God, we will misinterpret much of the Bible.

God will not look upon sin. He will turn His eyes away every time. His turning away of His look is the punishment.

New Testament believers need to understand this in New Covenant terms too. God has already turned His eyes away from our sin when He turned His gaze away from Jesus on the Cross. HOWEVER! God can and will only cast and keep His protective gaze upon us AS WE ARE IN FAITH!.

Even though "Jesus paid it all." there remains one more hurdle before us in a two-part action: repent and believe. 

Nothing but faith pleases God. In fact, we are incapable of enough repentance (for the sins we commit) because our hearts are desperately wicked and we ourselves cannot even know them. The only repentance that effectively covers our unrighteousness is the repentance for unbelief (in God's plan through Jesus) coupled with faith that God actually loved us enough to carry out this amazing plan.

When we repent and believe in Jesus (what He accomplished on our behalf), we are pleasing to God. When we are pleasing to God, He looks upon us. Again, His look upon us is life.

The only way destruction can get to us is for God to look away. Jesus is the only way we can keep God's gaze upon us. The single two-part action of repentance and faith in Jesus is the only way Jesus remains 'upon us' so God will continue to look upon us and we will not be stricken with the blow of destruction.

So, what does destruction in our lives say to us? Repent and believe.

Father, Your character just becomes more and more evident every day I read Your Word. Thank You!